The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-18
HOWGASSHALL BE SUPPLIED
The Aldermen Adopt an Entirely New
Schedule of Rates for Consumers.
Charges Are Based Upon Meter Measurement.
but the Gas May Be Supplied in va
rious Ways, if Desired.

rious Ways, if Desired.
The special meeting of the Board Of Alder
men last evening, to consider the natural-gas
ordinance passed by the City Council, resulted
in a thorough revision of the ordinance with the
substitution of one so thoroughly amended as to
be essentially new measure. The considera-
ton Of the ordinance was ushered in by the fol-
lowing report of the special committee:
INDIANAPOLIS, June IT, 1887.
ITO the President and Members of the Board of AL
..Gentlemen-Yours special committee to whom
was referred general ordinance. No. IA, 1887.
known as the uatural-gas ordinance, report and
submit herewith a number of amendments
to the Council ordinance, which we recommend
to be adopted and with the ordinance be then
passed. We do not report in favor of the mixer
a means of fixing the price of gas to the
consumer for the following reasons. to-wit:
In order to be satisfactory to the consumer
and that he may know how much
gas he ia receiving for SO much money, the price
fixed .oT the mixer per month or year, it must be
determined and settled first how much air will 3
certain mixer admit and mix with the gas in any
given sime: second what Is the diameter of the
orlfce in a certain mixer for the admission of
gas; third, these two things settled, then what
pressure must be on the mains TO supply suffi-
Gent gas to heat stove and furnace. We have
been unable to obtain any satisfactory answer to
any of these questions. On the other hand. we
mixer. There many kinds of mixers, ad-
uniting different quantities of air and different
quantities of gas and yet of the same number
By their use, instead OF securing certainly in
results would continually be perplexed with
mos: provoking uncertainty
I'VE have therefore adopted a scale Of prices
by their numb in cooking stoves and furnaces
If consumer has a cooking stove and base
burner, with fire pot of eighteen inches, he san
tell at glance at the schedule what price he will
have to pay to heat his two stoves. II he does
like the schedule. q have Drovided that ha
may have his gas at ten cents per thousand feet,
meter measurement, and pay for what he uses.
For manufacturers we provide by amendment
that gas shall be supplied in four different ways
first, at 90 per cent of the cost of Indiana
steam coal at 50 per ton; second, by meter meas
urement at seven cents per thousand feet; third,
by a special contract with the gas company: pro-
vided, however. that such special contracts shall
be uniform, and give to everyone alike and upon
the same terms to all; fourth, may pipe gas for
their own use, subject to no conditions whatever.
1--WE strike out the clause in the Council or
dinance providing for free gas to the city, be-
ieving that the best interest of the city will be
subserved by obtaining this new fuel at the
lowest possible price at which it can be obtained
and paying for what we use.
'The tax of three cents per foot on mains we
also strike oct, and in place thereof reserve
right. after Ave years, to impose tax or license
not exceeding cents per foot of mains in the
Streets if at that time it is thought expedient to
do SO. We do this for the reason that we be-
lieve the consumers OF gas will in the end in
some way pay this tax in other words, the price
OF gas to the consumer Will be increased the
amount of any such tax imposed
I'VE have been compelled TO resort to the
meter as the basis of all our calculations en-
braced in the schedule In selling natural gas
or buying IL the only way to settle the amount
bought or sold is by measurement The only
exact way to do this is by the meter. The meter
has been recommended to US by representatives
OF avery gas company We have met Any other
method that has been suggested to US is at best
but guess. and is only approximately correct
unless based upon measurement
Unexpectedly submitted
JAMES A. PRITCHARD,
sc S. WRIGHT.
"LoRENz SCHMIDT"
The report was adopted without discussion
and the ordinance accompanying it, after being
read and adopted, section by section, was
passed a whole.
The principal amendments to the ordinances
are H. Giving the company one year instead
of two years to keep the streets in repair. t2.l
The general plan for laying pipes and mains to
be approved by the Common Council and Board
Of Aldermen. 81 Striking out the section Civ
ing free gas to city and public school buildings.
a. The clause relating to per cent tax is
changed to read as follows ''The city of Indian
apolis hereby expressly reserves the right at any
time after the expiration OF FIVE years after
the date of the passage of this ordinance to
require any corporation, company, firm or indl
vdual, furnishing gas under the provisions of this
ordinance, pay into the city treasury annu-
ally license or tax not exceeding the sum
of three cents per foot of mains laid BY such cor
poration or company within the city limits, ex-
elusive of service connections" (5. An amend
ment giving the city the right of purchase of the
plant upon the city giving at least six months
notice the expiration of ten years, and the like
right at the end of each five years thereafter.
Section IL is amended by inserting the follow
ing schedule: For domestic use-Cooking-
stoves divided into three classes First class,
No. 6 and under; second. Nos and 8; third. No.
9 and over. the monthly charges for which.
from Oct to May /. being the winter months,
for first class. 10 cents per month; second.
81 25 per month; third, 81 80 per month; and the
same stoves for the months from May 1 to Oct.
l, being the summer months are respectively.
so cents, 81 and 81. % per month, and the same
stoves per annum are, respectively, SC, $12 and
$I5.
For gas and gasoline stoves the charge will bo |
rs cents per month and Sc per annum.
For heating residences and Offices from Oct. / |
to May l. the base burner stoves divided |
into four classes, according to diameter of fire.
pot. Upright stoves are also divided into four |
classes. according to diameter of fire. pot Eight
IA inches and over inches, 81. %; Is inches and
over IA inches, ST. 90 all over Is inches in dame
ter. So per month. Crates and open-front heat
ing stoves, each. per month. ST. so. The same |
stoves from May l TO Oct. l, with same diane |
ters respectively. so cents, 70 cents, 81 20 |
and 81. so per month. Crates and open-front |
heatng-stoves are ST. per month. Annual |
charges for the stoves and base burners specified
are respectively So %, 81 $11 and $l3 Crates |
and open-front heating stoves $40 per snnum. |
Furnaces for heating residences are divided
into nine classes: 22-inch ire-pot under. 50 |
per month; 24-inch and %, So. 40 26-nch
and over "a, So. so; 2S-inch and &c, So. IS; /
30 inch and over %, ST. 34-inch and over 30.
81 so; 36-inch and over 81 So 3d. 40-inch and |
over So. Sc so; over 40 inches, S. The annual |
,harges for these furnaces are, respectively. 800
$780, $24 80. s26 o. s28, $3L 80. $685. 80. s45 30
and $50.
For heating stores halls, business houses and
hotels, stoves divided in to three classes ac-
,or nchns d;.me, % "a as oO,h
md under 20, 81; 20-inch and over. &c. CRATES
md open stoves, So The annual charges for
hese stoves are, respectively, $780, 500 and $40:
he charge for CRATES and open stoves is s14 per
.nnum.
For heating stores, halls, business houses and
hotels with furnaces there are five classes, ac- |
ording to diameter of fire pot, as follows: For
,6 inches in diameter and under the charge is